Text voice synthesizing apparatus has been used in the prior art for converting text data to a voice signal to read aloud the content. In order to read the content of the text data quickly with such apparatus, a method of converting the text data to a voice signal faster than a normal speed is employed. In this method, however, the faster the reading of the text data by the voice, the more difficult it is to follow the data content. Specifically, it is very difficult to follow the data content once the text data is read about 3 times or more as fast as conventional radio broadcasting. (This depends on the degree of training of the listener.)
Another method is to convert only a portion of the text data to a voice signal while skipping other portions. In this method, however, the listener cannot grasp the length of the skipped portion of the text data. For example, the listener cannot determine which portion of the text data is being read. In addition, since portions of the text data is not be read aloud at all, in that that portion cannot be read aloud again at an audible speed.
Such inexperience impedes, for example, a blind person from grasping the content of text data using text synthesizing apparatus to quickly "read" a document.
Converting digital data to a voices signals is disclosed, in PUPA8-83089, PUPA6-308998, PUPA7-69715, PUPA9-50294, PUPA8-171395, PUPA6-337976, PUPA6-35913, PUPA5-265695, PUPA4-268631, PUPA4-199420, PUPA1-88599, PUPA63-62032, PUPA62-219066, PUPA62-156730, PUPA61-43778, PUPA7-152532, PUPA4-51099 and PUPA8-191254.
However, none of the methods described in these references provides a sufficient capability of reading aloud the content of text data in a short time in a manner it can be followed while supporting a listener's ability to grasp the content of the text data.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide voice output apparatus and method which provides a sufficient capability of reading aloud the content of text data in a short time in a manner that can be followed while supporting a listener's ability to grasp the content of the text data.
It is another object of this invention to provide voice output apparatus and method which is capable of having a listener grasp which portion of text data is read aloud at the time when the text data is read aloud for a short time while giving the listener the ability to repeat listening important portions of text data.
It is a further object of this invention to provide voice output apparatus and method which enables a blind person to grasp the content of text data as if normally sighted